West Virginia Democrat. [volume] (Charles Town, W. Va.) 1885-1890, 1887-01-07
ARIZ0N A.
A DESCRIPTION OF THE ANTE
LOPE VALLEY AND IT'S RE-
MARKABLE AGRICULTU-
RAJ VALUE.
A Place Where the Indians Raid Not
and Rain is Drawn from Canal.


that they would gladly come II they
knew where good, tillable govern
ment land could be obtained, take
this means OF bringing TO their no
tice an almost unknown section Of
our land. The Antelope valley is
situated IN the southwestern portion
Of Arizona, about fifty miles from
the California line. Some Of its
many advantages and disadvantages
/ will endcavor to enumeratc under
separate heads.
The land IS $ rich, dark loan,
easily cultivated, and very product
i've. There are about 10000 acres
in this valley. of which nearly l6,-
coo are still vacant The valley lies
on the south bank of the ella river,
and is very nearly level, and the soil
being river deposit is of nearly
uniform quality. Just above us is
the Mohawk valley, controlled by
the Mohawk Canal Company, but
nearly all the available land there
has been taken. There are several
other valleys oh the ella equally
good, only waiting the advent OF
capital to become fourishing com-
munities.
There is an abundant supply OF
good soft water at depth of ten to
twenty feet, most of the wells being
seventeen feet in depth. OF still
more Importance is the supply of
water for irrigation, for we have TO
depend solely upon that method Of
making our land productive. The
Gila river is not 4 large stream.
though of great length, and in dry
summers it entirely disappears, ex-
cepting at certain places along It's
course. Just above the valley, where
the canal is taken out, the bed rock
crosses the river, thus insnring IN
abundance cf MATER II that pdin,.
though The river may he dry above
and below.
The canal company are all set
tiers in the valley, and, the stock
being affixed 20 the land, monopo-
lists have poor show for getting
control OF the water. The canal
stock is divided into l2G00 shares,
of the par value of 81 each, and will
be amply sufficient to complete lie
canal. though much lower diam
usual. it generally requiring from
! $S to $40 per acre to develop water
/ for irrigation. The canal is now
completed to within one foot OF be
grade, and will carry water Sutiii-
emily long 20 insure grain and hay
crops, or gardens, but it will be scv-
eral months before the other fJot
will be exeavated, when it viii! carry
water at all seasons of the year.
Immigrants can acquire sufficient
water to irrigate 100 acres for about
$3.50.
The productions of this valley are
various, comprising almost every
| plant or tree grown in the United
States. The apple grows luxuri
antly, but the fruit is inferior.
Wheat Yields twenty-five to thirty
centals per acre; barley, thirty to
forty; corn grows finely, but has
never been aised in large quantities;
oats do not succeed; bananas, oran
ges, lemons, lines, figs, olives,
peaches. apricots, plums, prunes and
al kinds OF grapes do exceedingly
well.
The Spanish ehufa and q native
miIlet grow without cultivation, and
there ere hogs in the valley that
have not been re,i for six months.
yet they have kept fat or The chulas.
mesquite beans and other wild pro-
ducts.
Upon the upland near by are
thousands of acres Of galleta grass.
which is good feed all the wear
round. Mr.. Charles Baker, ofYuma.
has had several hundred head Of
cattle here for many years, but has
never had to feed them during The
whole time.
The timber is limited, but will he
amply sufficient for fuel and fence
posts for many years, The mes
quite, tornilla, willow, cottonwood
palo verde and ironwood are the
principal varieties
The climate is warm and dry from
June till September. the mercury
sometimes rising to ll5 degrees.hnt
the gulf breeze, which prevails at
that season, moderates the heat, and
the extreme drynesS of the atmos-
I phere renders it less oppressive than
it otherwise would be. From Sen
tember to June the climate is most
delightful. AS l write, although in
December, the air is pleasant and
sky perfectly clear. end it has been
so for weeks past.
Persons with lung and bronchial
affections find much more relief here
than in California, as there are no
fogs whatever, and rain or damp
weather only at rare intervals, White
frost is slmost unknown A phvsi-
clan has lately removed here from